Hot wheels

I got my first BMX bike when I was in the eighth standard. I’ve been cycling since then; only, today I’ve got a Santa Cruz mountain bike worth Rs 1,25,000. I’ve represented Maharashtra twice at the national level cross country races, participated in the MTB Himachal cross country mountain bike race and Tour of Nilgiris, and currently I ride for Red Rooster. Of late, I’ve been laying low due to injuries from my last race.
I’m a mountain biker. I guess a mountain bike is like the SUV of the cycling world. It’s powerful and sturdy, it’s got superb suspension and it can withstand the abuse of any terrain. I usually ride my road bike for training in the city, and take my Santa Cruz out for the more exciting trips. My favourite trails are near Sarjapur, Yelahanka and Nandi Hills. Downhill biking is an exhilarating experience and like most outdoor sports, it is dangerous. I go with a full face helmet, chest guard, knee and shin guards as well as elbow guards. You’re not always going to have two wheels on the ground, so you’d better be equipped for the challenge. Cross country trails off the Sarjapur or Yelahanka road are also fun. Bikers never go alone so you have to find someone at the same level of expertise who’ll be able to keep up. Then it becomes an awesome racing experience.
— As told to Tenzin Dechen